Despite Google having turned to Asus for manufacturing assistance on both iterations of its hugely successful Nexus 7 tablet range, it has been suggested that the search giant will switch allegiances and rope in HTC for its first 8-inch device.

Although neither company has yet commented on the reports, claimed “upstream supply chain” sources have reportedly told serial rumour mongers DigiTimes that HTC has been approached to produce the Google Nexus 9.

According to the reports, Google approached HTC ahead of the original Nexus 7 release but received little interest from the Taiwanese manufacturer which it is said was focussed on re-establishing its own smartphone efforts.

Not a direct replacement to the popular Nexus 7 line, the claimed Nexus 9 will reportedly line up as an 8.9-inch tablet to sit between Google’s existing 7-inch and 10-inch tablet lines.

Despite having been the subject of multiple rumours, relatively little is known about the mooted Google Nexus 9.

Tipped for a Q3 release, the Google Nexus 9 will likely be pitched as a closer rival to the market leading iPad mini. It has been suggested that Google is looking to bring a more premium design aesthetic to its Nexus offerings, with a HTC partnership on the Nexus 9 potentially seeing principles from the HTC One M8 brought to the tablet scene.

While a Nexus 8 tablet is widely expected to be brought to market, it has been suggested that Google is set to reduce the focus placed on its Nexus lines.

“Google is also not very aggressive about its third-generation Nexus tablet since the series has already served the purpose of boosting Android's penetration in the tablet market,” the insiders are said to have reported.Read More:Google Nexus 5 review